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The Associated Press
The Associated Press
It’s been just over two months since the ride-sharing service Uber arrived in Berks County.
While an Uber official said business so far has been great, local taxi companies said they really haven’t noticed any major dips in their business.
Jennifer Krusius, Uber’s general manager for Pennsylvania, said she could not release the number of rides given, but said there has been a lot of demand in the Reading area.
“Since we’ve launched, every week we’ve seen more and more requests,” she said. “It’s definitely been, from our view, a great success, and one where we are looking to see how we can grow more.”
Krusius said Uber also doesn’t release the number of drivers it employs, but said the company has a substantial number of drivers operating in the area. She said that Uber is looking for more.
“We’ll continue to build the driver base,” Krusius said. “I think once people understand what the advantages are from the driver’s side, it’s a really enticing opportunity.”
Taxi companies not affected
While Uber says it is doing great business, representatives from taxi companies in Berks County said the service hasn’t really affected their bottom lines.
Curtis Stricker, owner of Reading Metro Taxi, said the opening of Berks Taxi last winter hit him harder then Uber’s March launch.
“We keep busy,” he said. “We’re surviving.”
Part of the reason the Uber activity hasn’t affected them, according to Stricker, is that many local taxi companies now are offering mobile apps that allow customers to order a cab and receive text updates as opposed to phone calls.
“There’s nothing that Uber offers that we don’t already,” he said.
Fred Becker, a dispatcher at Grab-A-Cab, said he recently received a job application from a former Uber driver who claimed she hadn’t been paid in weeks.
“Uber drivers are coming to us,” Becker said.
Stricker said the presence of Uber actually harms the community more than helps it because Uber operates without a business privilege license and does not pay the business privilege tax.
Jennifer Hart, a clerk at Berks Earned Income Tax Bureau, said she was unable to reveal the specifics of Uber’s license in Reading. Hart did say that, in order to operate a business within Reading, a company would have to pay for the $55 license.
Headquartered in San Francisco, Uber was launched in 2009. The service is now available in 58 countries and more than 300 cities.
Act as contractors
Uber allows people to get and give rides arranged through a smartphone application. Drivers are not employed by Uber, but instead act as contractors using privately owned vehicles. They have the option of accepting or declining any potential rider.
The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as long as drivers are accepting requests.
There is a $2 base fee and a $1 “safe-rides fee,” plus 25 cents per minute and $1.75 per mile. Minimum fare is $5, and there is a $5 cancellation fee.
Once a rider sets a pickup location and a destination, he or she can get an estimated fare on his phone. The company says its rides are usually about 15 percent cheaper than a taxi in the Reading area.
On its website, Uber estimates that a ride from Albright College in Reading to Bear Creek Mountain Resort and Conference Center, Lehigh Valley, a distance of about 23 miles, costs $58, versus $64 from a local cab company.
No cash is exchanged during rides. Instead, riders pay using credit cards they have added to their accounts.
Uber operates in less than half of Berks County: essentially only Reading and its outskirts.
Despite claiming success, Krusius said there are no definite plans to expand at this point. That’s not to say it could never happen, she said.
“Our first priority was to launch in a bunch of cities in Pennsylvania,” she said. “We’re in eight cities in Pennsylvania right now. We kind of go back after that, and expand the service in each of those cities if we see the demand.”
Contact Brad Rhen: 610-371-5047 or firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Nextleaf Solutions Ltd. (CNSX:OILS) (OTCMKTS: OILFF) has done it again. The innovative Canadian cannabis extraction company and owner of one of the largest portfolios of U.S. patents has added to its treasure trove of intellectual property. By focusing on building a patent portfolio war chest and avoiding capital-intensive acquisitions (for now), Nextleaf is positioned for success once international regulatory frameworks become institutionalized.
The latest release sees the United States Patent and Trademark Office grant Nextleaf Solutions a patent to a method for refining raw cannabis plant material. It covers a method for separating cannabinoid-rich trichomes from lower potency cannabis biomass—including most approved industrial hemp cultivars—which Nextleaf uses to increase the concentration of CBD in hemp biomass. Nextleaf’s patented technology significantly increases extraction efficiency and improves the economics of processing hemp into high-purity CBD extracts.
The company now owns 14 U.S. patents and has been issued over 70 patents globally for the extraction, purification, formulation, and delivery of cannabinoids.
While stacking an industry-leading patent Rolodex isn’t the most attention-grabbing activity around, on a long-term timeline, it should prove be an effective strategy. As Nextleaf CEO Paul Pedersen explains, the company’s IP build is grabbing the attention of multi-national conglomerates focused on cannabis companies with protected processes which can deliver unique consumer experiences.
We just recently got a patent issued for the derivatization of THC and CBD, so you know, taking THC or CBD distillate and actually turning it into a THC or CBD-based derivative through acetylation… And that opened up a lot of conversations with some of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world that, you know, quite frankly they are spending time to talk to a company of Nextleaf’s size because we are batting way above our weight when it comes to IP development. And, you know, pharmaceutcal companies—Big Pharma, Big Tobacco—these guys aren’t interested in farming. These guys are interested—just like the pharmaceutical, biotech, life sciences industries—it’s all about developing IP around drugs and products that are differentiated that you can have your 20-year patent on and you can have something that is unique in the marketplace.
And there is precedent to back up the company’s overarching game plan.
In March, multinational CPG conglomerate British American Tobacco (BAT) acquired a 19.9% interest ($221 million)in Canadian licensed producer Organigram Holdings. As part of their investment, the two partners agreed to establish a Centre of Excellence to collaborate on intellectual property to create CBD-based products. As part of the press released commentary, Organigram CEO Greg Engel stated, “But we’re really excited about this. We both feel where cannabinoid delivery and bringing new products to markets is going is culturally aligned between the two companies.”
Previously, another Big Tobacco goliath, Altria Group, invested $2.4 billion in Cronos Group to develop similar cannabinoid-based products for consumers..
Click on the embedded link for more of our new interview with Nextleaf Solutions CEO Paul Pedersen, as he explain the rationale behind the company’s IP stacking long game.

domain: news


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A Spokane Valley-based company is releasing new technology that makes it easy to film and share highlights of sporting events.
Sport Scope, which manufactures end-zone camera, sideline-instant replay and pressbox-tripod systems for athletic programs, is debuting Scout this weekend at Hoopfest.
Scout is an app and hardware package that allows users to film sporting events on their phones while focusing on the game at the same time.
By using a wireless remote and panning device paired with Scout’s iPhone app, users can film sporting events hands-free and save highlights with the click of a button, eliminating the need to edit long videos after the game is over, said Derek Taylor, CEO of Sport Scope.
Scout was designed, in part, as a solution for parents to record and share video highlights of their children’s sporting events, Taylor said.
Often, parents stop filming sporting events because the process of holding a phone to record takes focus away from the game or they find it daunting to edit hours of video, Taylor said.
“We want to make sure they have a viable way to film,” Taylor said. “So when their kid is 10 years old and they’re starting to play basketball, (parents) can find Scout and say, ‘That will allow me to get those highlights for grandparents or other family members.’”
Scout allows users to control panning and zoom of their phone with a wireless remote up to 50 feet away. Users can lock in up to five camera zones on the court or field and use the remote to switch between them.
Scout also has a headset mode that provides an audio notification for users to click the remote without having to look at the camera.
“Not only are we making it easier to film, we have a button that you hit every time there’s some kind of moment you want to capture,” Taylor said. “Now, you’ve saved that 10- or 15-second clip and you no longer need to edit.
“Those clips are done after the game and you can send it to grandparents. Or your kid can make a highlight video instantly.”
Taylor and entrepreneur Andy Barrett founded Sport Scope in 2011 to provide affordable end-zone camera systems for sports programs.
Sport Scope began developing the Scout product about nine months ago after it saw potential to enter a new market, Taylor said.
The Scout hardware package costs $195 and includes a Scout bot device, remote, phone mount and travel case. Scout’s app subscription, which is available on iPhones, costs $25 per month.
Taylor sees future potential to pair the Scout app with a wearable device that tracks movement on the court or field.
“We’re incrementally getting to that stage. That’s where we really want to go,” he said. “Then, it caters to a larger audience as well – presenters, online content creators or anyone who needs to be in front of the camera and move around a room.”
Sport Scope will be operating a Hoopfest vendor booth Saturday and Sunday at Riverfront Park’s Locust Lawn where it will provide demos of the Scout product.
“We’ll go to some courts, let parents use the remote and then AirDrop or email them the highlights,” Taylor said. “Parents coming through can take four or five highlights each and they can see how quickly and easily they can get quality video.”


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Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) TCS Logistics, the largest logistics company in Pakistan, has signed a contract with Eastern Products (Pvt.) Ltd .to ship their products from Pakistan to Kazakhstan under the TIR (Transports Internationaux Routiers”), the International Road Trucking Convention.
The contract marks the first-ever outbound movement from Pakistan to Kazakhstan under the TIR Convention. The first shipment is expected to depart in mid-April 2019.
A signing ceremony was held in this regard where Mr. Yonus Ali Siddiqui, Head of New Business Initiatives, TCS and Syed Waqas Azher, Manager Export, Eastern Products (Pvt. Ltd.), signed the contract on behalf of their respective companies. Also present on the occasion were Mr. Khalid Nawaz Awan, Chairman, TCS Holdings (Pvt.) Ltd., Ms. Saira Awan, Vice Chairperson, TCS Holdings (Pvt.) Ltd., Mr. Qasim Awan, Director, TCS Holdings (Pvt.) Ltd. and Mr. Zia ur Rehman, Supply Chain Head, Eastern Products (Pvt.) Ltd.
Expressing his views on the occasion Mr. Khalid Awan said, “This will open new trade corridors for Pakistani manufactures, exporters and traders as now they will be further facilitated in exporting their products to Kazakhstan and other Central Asian states.”


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With Velociti, we are able to provide the site survey, installation and monitoring for a truly all-encompassing solution, start to finish.
Riverside, Mo./Fremont, CA (PRWEB) February 02, 2016
Velociti Inc., a global provider of technology deployment and managed services, and V5 Systems, makers of an outdoor security solution and platform for the industrial Internet of Things (IOT), today announced a partnership that will provide Velociti’s comprehensive deployment and management expertise to V5 System customers.
“We have created a robust and unique product that is a completely self-contained IOT Security Solution,” said Steve Yung, Chairman and CEO of V5 Systems. “With Velociti, we are also able to provide the site survey, installation and monitoring for a truly all-encompassing solution, start to finish. That is something no one else can offer, and we are incredibly excited that we can provide that level of support for our customers.”
V5 Systems unveiled two new systems at Dell World in October. They feature solar panels for self-powered operation, up to three days of battery life with V5’s proprietary battery, 4G LTE and Wi-Fi connectivity and GPS, and temperature and seismic (shock) sensors. Additional features include a chemical sensor that can detect noxious gases and other chemical agents. Acoustic sensors, which will be able to detect gunshots as well as more minimal sound frequencies, are planned for 2016.
“The technology they offer is extremely innovative,” said Jim West, Vice President of Velociti’s Facilities Division. “The value these devices can provide law-enforcement, public venues, and educational and government facilities in terms of safety and crime-prevention is unparalleled, and Velociti’s experience working with these sectors and ensuring they are implemented accurately and effectively is something we take great pride in.”
Connected devices and the IOT are the future of public safety. Utilizing smart technology, ensuring it’s installed correctly and maintaining the health of these systems are all critical pieces to the puzzle. The intelligence data provided by today’s web of connected devices not only allows for faster, smarter reactions, it could lead to the predictive use of big data, permanently changing the security sector. V5 Systems and Velociti understand the importance of this interconnected relationship and are excited to partner for the future of security and IOT.
About V5 Systems
California-based V5 Systems was founded in 2013 and operates out of Fremont CA. Its founders were intent on delivering a security solution that could be deployed in any outdoor environment without the limitations that currently exist around connectivity and the ability to tap into fixed power (trenching, permits, time). V5 Systems is a manufacturer of self-powered, portable computing and communications systems for outdoor Intelligent Security and IoT industrial control and data collection applications. V5 Systems innovative portable security and IoT solutions contain our patented power system, processors, storage, wireless communications and sensors in a Linux operating environment delivering a rapidly deployed, self-powered, intelligent edge computing system. For more information, visit http://www.v5systems.us.
About Velociti Inc.
Velociti is a global provider of technology deployment services, specializing in the installation and service of a broad range of transportation and networking technology products. Velociti’s experience allows enterprise level technology consumers to maximize ROI as a result of leveraging expert, rapid deployment. Velociti clients include many Fortune 500 companies from a wide variety of market segments, such as transportation, retail, distribution, manufacturing, healthcare, government, education, food service and public venues. For more information visit http://www.velociti.com or call toll free (855) 233-7210.


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Gurgaon (Hr), Mar 29 (PTI) As many as 500 meat shops, including a KFC outlet, in old Gurgaon were allegedly shut down by over 200 Shiv Sainiks for nine days on account of Navratri.
They also threatened the shop owners yesterday to shut their establishments on every Tuesday.
“We have served notices to meat shop owners, including KFC, and other fast food outlets to shut their shops till Navratri ends and on every Tuesday,” Gautam Saini, the president of Shiv Sena, Gurgaon, told PTI.
The Sena workers assembled at Palam Vihar yesterday and forced the closure of meat market and dhabas such as Bismillah Khan eatery in others areas too.
However, ACP-PRO of Gurgaon Police Manish Sehgal said some meats shops were shut down but they were later opened.
These shops have commercial licence to sell meat. Strict action will be taken against those forcing closure of shops illegally.
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Finunion has targeted market share in Europe, Asia, LatAm and Africa after the successful deployment of its proprietary software for the Finbet brand.
Founded in 2015, the company is ready to take its unique gaming solution to markets across the globe. It already provides a turnkey solution for both Finbet.kz – a multichannel brand for the Kazakhstan market – and Finbet.bet, operated worldwide off a Curacao licence.
The software behind this solution, which includes a unified payment system, marketing and tournaments modules, business analytics and a complete management system, is also supported by a number of third-party integrations.
For example, the 3,000+ strong Casino Engine features broadcasted table games from Betgames.TV and aggregated casino content from the likes of Pariplay, Spinomenal and Microgaming, as well as Live Casino from Evolution.
The platforms also include both pre-match odds and those for more than 30,000 live monthly matches from Digitain, Keno and Bingo content from FLG, fast games and virtuals from Golden Race, and Sportlotto from Super Loto.
A company spokesperson commented: “Finunion invest in the future. We are guided by what we are doing, and believe that success only comes with self-management and determination. Our team has many years of experience in the field of gambling industry and we are always focused on the result.
“We plan to seize new markets in Europe, Central Asia, Africa, Latin America, Tanzania, Kenya, China and capture mobile traffic through social networks.”
The statement also explained that Finunion is ready to drive this “significant global expansion” from its offices in Kazakhstan, London, Georgia, Ukraine and Malta.


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I talked to Jason McCabe Calacanis yesterday about his sale of Weblogs Inc. (for a reported $25 million) to AOL. Here's a link to the podcast. One interesting point he made was that 12 of his sites are sold out to advertisers for the rest of the year, and that advertisers were clamoring for inventory he didn't have to sell them.
Before it's here, it's on the Bloomberg Terminal. LEARN MORE


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Battlegrounds Mobile India does not yet have a release date. The PUBG Mobile alternative is now available for download via the Google Play Store in early access. The developer, Krafton, has yet to make the game available on the Apple App Store. We can expect a formal announcement about the game’s official release date very soon. However, dark clouds have begun to gather over BGMI in the run-up to its release. Several ministers have recently written to the Prime Minister requesting a ban on the PUBG Mobile alternative, citing data security concerns. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remark at the Toycathon 2021 may complicate Krafton’s plans to release BGMI in India.
The Prime Minister stated at the Toycathon 2021 that most online/digital games available in the market today are not based on Indian values or concepts. These games either encourage violence or cause mental stress. The PMO India’s tweet made no mention of BGMI. However, based on recent developments before the PM’s tweet on June 24, Krafton may be concerned.
जितने भी ऑनलाइन या डिजिटल गेम्स आज मार्केट में उपलब्ध हैं, उनमें से अधिकतर का कॉन्सेप्ट भारतीय नहीं है।— PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 24, 2021
आप भी जानते हैं कि इसमें अनेक गेम्स के कॉन्सेप्ट या तो Violence को प्रमोट करते हैं या फिर Mental Stress का कारण बनते हैं: PM @narendramodi
Battlegrounds Mobile India: Traders Body Writes to MeitY to Ban game due to data security concerns
Battlegrounds Mobile India is sending your data to a Chinese server, According to an IGN report
Battlefield 2042 will use bots to help fill its 128-player servers, according to EA
Ministers have recently called for a ban on BGMI. Ninong Erin, a former Union Minister, and current Arunachal Pradesh MLA were the first to write to the Prime Minister, requesting a ban on BGMI. According to the minister, BGMI is a “Chinese deception” and a threat to Indian citizens’ privacy and security. Abhishek Singhvi, another Member of Parliament, tweeted that the game’s release marks Tencent’s return to India. That isn’t all. CAIT Secretary-General Praveen Khandelwal wrote to Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister of Law and Communications, Electronics and Information Technology, pleading with him to halt the release of BGMI.
To compound matters, another report claimed that Krafton is sending data from BGMI to servers in Beijing, China. The developers later admitted to the data sharing but claimed it was a bug, and a new update has been rolled out to the game that has stopped any sort of data sharing with any Chinese server.
Krafton’s Battlegrounds Mobile India could be jeopardized as a result of the saga. The game was previously banned in its PUBG Mobile form after the Indian government removed over 250 apps from Indian cyberspace, citing their links to Chinese data servers – and highlighting these as avenues that could jeopardize the country’s overall safety and national interest.
Can the government prevent the release of BGMI in India?
This question has a simple and direct answer: no. According to a recent report, developers do not need government approval to launch a game in India. If a game or app does not comply with the country’s rules and regulations, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and MEITY have the authority to ban it. Krafton has stated that it will comply with local regulations. The recent data-sharing fiasco, on the other hand, may bring it under scrutiny.


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I have a new article on the Canadian Cannabis market and the idea of adding value in the marijuana space up at Seeking Alpha.
The Canadian Cannabis market peaked – using the Canadian Marijuana Index – in early January of 2018. The Index topped 1000. It dropped a bit from there and, the Monday before legalization on Wednesday, October 17, touched 858. The index is now hovering around 500. Reality has caught up with the recreational marijuana business and the market caps of many of the producer stocks are adjusting downward to reflect that reality.
There are a lot of reasons to be delighted that Trump has fired his do nothing Attorney General. From the Canadian cannabis sector’s perspective, Sessions was a major road block to federal legalization efforts. Given the size of the potential US market as well as the difficulties created by the federal law in terms of investment, reasearch and even cross border travel, federal legalization would be a huge plus for the Canadian cannabis industry.
MGX Minerals Inc. (“MGX” or the “Company”) (CSE: XMG / FKT: 1MG / OTCQB: MGXMF) is pleased to announce its wholly owned subsidiary ZincNyx Energy Solutions Inc (“ZincNyx”) has signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement with Braingrid Corporation (“Braingrid”) to co-develop and market a packaged energy management product offering for the cannabis cultivation market. The partnership will leverage Braingrid’s software and technology, which uses proprietary sensing and control hardware and ZincNyc’s modular energy storage systems, which provide scalable regenerative zinc-air flow battery for mass storage of energy, to provide cannabis cultivators with renewable solutions for cultivation. ZincNyx and Braingrid have agreed to sign a Definitive Agreement within the next 60 days.


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A London vet clinic is joining forces with local businesses and organizations to save the lives of pets and prevent weather-related harm this summer.
The Neighbourhood Pet Clinic is painting donated parking spaces and handing out window stickers with the Be Pet Aware emblem; a reminder to pet owners to leave their pets at home, not trapped in hot cars, while they shop.
Business Director at the Neighbourhood Pet Clinic Brent Barr says anyone is welcome to take part in the cost-free initiative, “We’ve offered free to any business, or organization and group within London or the London area, for us to come in and paint a couple of their parking spaces with the Be Pet Aware logo. In addition, there is a sticker that goes into their windows that says, ‘Be Pet Aware, when you shop, leave your dog or animal at home.’”
Barr tells AM980 more than 16 area businesses are showing their support, including the City of London, “We’re actually out today stencilling parking lots for them right now, and putting the stickers in the municipal pay stations, so that’s how important it is to them; they want to keep the little ones safe as well. ” The clinic says each year, Bylaw Enforcement Officers encounter dozens of trapped pets and the parking division is eager to reduce the number of incidents that occur in the city.
Barr says many pet parents don’t realize leaving their animal in a hot car could turn into a life threatening situation in just minutes, “What’s surprising for a lot of people, is that in 70 degrees, a dog in a car can get into a life threatening situation within 15 minutes. People just don’t realize that, they think they are being great parents bringing them around, but what this whole campaign is about is just leave your little one at home, they’ll be a lot safer and cooler, and you can do all your errands and come back and spend some time with them.”
If you do happen to see a pet in a car, Barr offers a couple of tips, “Number one, go right into the business where that car is with the little one trapped inside, and talk to the ownership and see if they can put an announcement out and find whoever it is to come out and make sure they let their dog out because it’s dangerous,” he says. “Number two, if they can’t find the person, call 911 and call the humane society because those two have the ability to come and rescue that dog or pet out of that situation.
Dr. Alec Martin of Neighbourhood Pet Clinic explains, “People make honest mistakes, honest lapses in good judgment, but if we can gently remind them to make better decisions then it will all be worth it.”


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Innovation News & Reviews - Page 5
Tech Deals & Startups
New York City-based Collibra brings a "data shopper's" approach to the task of finding and analyzing volumes of data.
Arxan is adding much-needed mobile security management capabilities. Apperian's platform provides granular security and policy controls at the application level.
More Innovation News
ClearCaster was designed and built in collaboration with Facebook to ensure clean, clear broadcasts and user engagement on Facebook Live, and from any workflow.
Spinoff, newly updated IoT platform and list of other items being debuted at Las Vegas conference.
Join us Sept. 13, at 11 a.m. PDT/2 p.m. EDT/7 p.m. GMT when @eWEEKNews hosts its monthly #eWEEKChat on "Memory-Based Computing: Future of the Data Center." You're likely to learn something new and valuable.
The 2017 report offers data on mobile subscriber growth trends across developed and emerging markets, plus insight on device innovation beyond the smartphone, the evolution from 4G to 5G networks and other topics.
More than 30 tools are now available for Windows and Mac that enable users to complete tasks with a single click–from drive cleaning, to presentation mode and to screen recording.
NEWS ANALYSIS: The acquisition of Whole Foods has been approved by stockholders and the feds, so the deal will close on Aug. 28, immediately launching integration with Amazon.
Survey of 400 CEOs uncovers some significant findings for new-gen usage of data and analytics, including the fact that half of them said they are concerned about the integrity of the data upon which they are basing their decisions.
More than 1,000 amateur photographers and astronomers will contribute photos from along the entire path of totality in the U.S. to enable a Google and a University of California, Berkeley team to create a movie.


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AKRON (June 2, 2014) — Each week <i>Tire Business</i> tracks the top stories — a virtual “Digital Dozen” — on our website, based on readership data.
The Tire Business “Top Read Stories” enewsletter—with the 12 most read stories of the prior week—is mailed to subscribers every Saturday. To sign up, click here.
Of all the stories posted online last week at tirebusiness.com, here are three of the dozen that drew the most interest:
• Google’s robot car like driving an elevator.
• Goodyear to build tire plant in Americas.
• Bridgestone expands online dealer training options.
Does your dealership, company or auto service shop have an event, some information or a story you’d like to share? Email that information to firstname.lastname@example.org, along with a daytime phone number at which a Tire Business reporter can contact you. You also can comment on stories on our website or send a letter to the editor by emailing us at email@example.com.
How would you characterize your shop's experience with winter tires?
|We are selling a lot more, especially when the weather is bad||
31% (26 votes)
|We aren't selling many of them.||
14% (12 votes)
|We only sell them if a customer asks.||
19% (16 votes)
|The climate is not conducive here for winter tires.||
36% (30 votes)
|Total votes: 84|


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In some ways, keeping a plant alive can seem like a bit of a hassle, at least for those of us who have a hard time remembering to water things—especially at work. But it might be worth keeping a watering can handy at your desk if you want to be more productive and less “sick.”
Cerys Heroman, a landscape designer with Heroman Services Plant Company, is a sixth generation horticulture specialist working in a family-owned business. Though their family has been in the plant business for 187 years, the Heromans are part of a tradition. They are also focused on the future of landscaping, one avenue of which is creating healthier, more productive workplace environments by bringing more of the outdoors into offices and businesses.
Founded in Louisiana, Heroman Services moved its headquarters to its Pensacola office—which has been open for over 10 years—six years ago and began working to get the word out locally about the benefits of interior landscaping.
“The reason we focus so much more on commercial versus residential is [because] we spend most of our time in the work environment,” Heroman said, who explained the benefits of maintaining indoor plants aren’t purely aesthetic—numerous studies have concluded that having plants in commercial environments decreases absenteeism and increases job performance and satisfaction in workers.
“The biggest benefit is to get rid of something NASA has actually termed as ‘Sick Building Syndrome,’” Heroman said. “In North America, about 20 to 30 percent of all of our buildings are considered sick buildings.”
Everything from carpeting and drywall to doors opening and allowing outdoor air toxins in can contribute to the pollutants indoors, which are recirculated through central air and heat systems. “You’ll find that people who have these so-called sick buildings, their employees complain of eye, throat, and nose irritation, an increased amount of headaches, dry skin, difficulty concentrating and overall unpleasantness,” Heroman said.
The good news is that plants act as natural air filters that are relatively inexpensive and effective in improving indoor air quality.
“If you have one plant for every one hundred square-feet of room, you can reduce Sick Building Syndrome up to 12 percent within 24 hours of installing the plant,” Heroman said. She recommends one medium-size floor plant or two to three small plants in an office to produce similar results.
Even if a building isn’t “sick,” plants have also proven to increase productivity on basic typing and comprehension tests, according to studies Heroman referenced. “When they did the testing with plants, the person’s timing and accuracy increased by 12 percent,” she said.
There are monetary savings associated with plants as well. Plants naturally cool buildings, which helps companies save on power bills and they also are effective for noise reduction, which can decrease auditory distractions.
And if anyone needs further bottom-line specific data, the organization Green Plants for Green Buildings, which Heroman Services is a provider, reports the return on investment for plants in businesses is on average 334 percent, which is mainly attributed to a 14 percent reduction in absenteeism.
Plants can also drive sales in commercial and retail environments. “People perceive malls, shopping centers and organizations that have plants as higher end,” Heroman said. “They are willing to spend more money because they feel like these places are more top-notch. They feel more comfortable, and they feel quite a bit less stressed.”
From malls to hospitals—where indoor plants have proven to reduce the length of patient stays—the benefits of interior landscaping have become a message Heroman and others at the company are happy to spread.
Heroman Services offers interior landscape design ranging from table arrangements to full-on landscape design of a building, as well as exterior landscaping services, container gardens, green walls and green roofs. “We’re your one stop shop, basically,” Heroman said.
In 2013, one of Heroman Services’ main outreach efforts was a plant giveaway and informational event in downtown Pensacola during National Indoor Plant Week, which is held in September. This year, Heroman Services is planning on developing an awareness event as well. In the meantime, they encourage everyone to get on board, add a few plants, and have a healthier, more pleasant indoor experience.
Heroman Services Plant Company
440 E. Heinberg St.


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NW Gluten-Free Summit
Join us in Corvallis, Oregon as we meet for the Northwest Gluten Free Summit being held November 5-6, 2010.
Currently it is estimated that 1 out of 100 Americans has celiac disease. Of these, only 3% have been diagnosed. With over 300 associated signs and symptoms and without a clear, accurate diagnosis, celiac disease and gluten intolerance often go undiagnosed. Raising awareness of celiac disease is imperative in order to ensure optimum health for the approximately 3 million people estimated to be suffering from the disorder.
The North West Gluten Free Summit will offer an educational environment where health care professionals, patients, manufacturers, private business owners, chefs, food suppliers and families can collaborate to learn more about Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance directly from the experts.
Betty Crocker Mixes
Reader Allyson wrote in with a tip:
I was at Winco in Tigard this afternoon (Located right off 99W. I believe the cross streets are Dartmouth and 72nd.) and was surprised to see GF Betty Crocker mixes (all 4 varieties) on sale for $2.48! I asked the cashier if they were on sale because they were not going to be carrying them anymore but she said they have it at a promotional price because its a new product (to the store) and that she’s hoping people will buy them so the store continues to stock the mixes. I’ve seen them on the shelves at Winco for the past few months but they’ve always been about $4…about the same as Fred Meyer.
Hope everyone can take advantage of the great low price!
Thanks to Allyson for the heads-up.


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Google’s ease to use, simplicity of design, and massive database listings have made it the numero uno search engine in the world. Now, the Mountain View, California-based firm is adding a bit of style to its classic personalized homepage service.
The world’s top provider of Web search services, Google Tuesday unwrapped an "iGoogle" logo that adorned the personalized homepages customized by users of its globally popular Internet search engine, apparently reinventing the Google.com home page, with its simple, uncluttered design.
Seven templates of gadgets will be provided, and users will now be able to share their creations with others using the new "My Community" feature.
"Gadget Maker will allow users to bring their favorite offline information online and share with their friends and family, or the whole world," Google said. "Anyone who can upload a photo or write an e-mail can use one of Gadget Maker's seven modules to create a personalized gadget without knowing how to write code."
The seven templates for creating personalized "gadgets" on iGoogle homepages include ‘Framed Photo’ for creating and updating photos; ‘GoogleGram’, an unfolding "greeting card" gadget that shows different messages and images over seven days; ‘Daily Me’, which lets people share snippets about their daily lives like a miniblog, such as how they are feeling or what they are thinking or doing; a ‘YouTube gadget’ for a favorite video clip; ‘Free Form’, which is simply any text and image; ‘Personal List’, of things such as favorite songs; and ‘Countdown’, for counting down days to events.
In addition, the company is also expanding the number of countries and languages in which it will offer personalized search services. According to the product manager of iGoogle, Jessica Ewing, iGoogle personalized Web search will now be available in 40 countries and 26 languages, up from 22 nations and 15 languages where personalization is now offered.
Introduced two years ago, Google's personalized home page service offers users the ability to choose from thousands of regularly updating Web features on one page. Tens of millions of users have so far signed up for the personalized approach to search and they are some of Google's most active users, said Marissa Mayer, Google's vice president of user experience.
Google not only enables users easily create customized home pages with colorful and fun gadgets but also makes it even easier to use web search when trying to get information, Mayer added.
The aim of the American public Corporation has always been to serve the public. "To organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful" has always been Google’s motto.
Larry Page and Sergey Brin have to be credited for co-finding this giant internet search and advertisement engine, which has helped the masses to be in touch with every sphere of life as it is said, 'Everything is now just a click away and within the reach of everybody.'


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Profit increased with an average growth of 57 per cent/year, affirming the bank's leading position in business efficiency in the industry
VIB has established a solid foundation for outstanding growth in scale, quality and brand value during the first six years of the 10-year strategic transformation roadmap (2017-2026), according to the report delivered by the Board of Directors at the event.
That has helped VIB become one of the leading banks in terms of business efficiency, asset size and revenue growth, effective cost management, and tight risk control. VIB's profit has grown at an annual compound growth rate of 57 per cent per year over the past six years. The bank has also recorded a return on equity ratio of over 30 per cent for three consecutive years, far exceeding the average rate of the Top 10 listed banks.
|VIB’s annual profit growth, 2017-2022
VIB currently leads the retail sector of the industry thanks to its strategy of becoming the top retail bank in terms of scale and quality. The bank’s outstanding retail loans account for over 90 per cent of its total loan portfolio. It also the market leader in core businesses such as home loans, car purchases and credit cards.
In 2022, VIB developed market-leading credit cards with outstanding product features that were a first for Vietnam. The spending made by customers through VIB credit cards grew nine-fold, from nearly VND9 trillion ($382 million) in 2018 to VND75 trillion ($3.12 billion) in 2022. VIB also leads the country in Mastercard growth rate.
Sapphire account packages and MyVIB 2.0 digital banking application are considered VIB’s outstanding products and services that helped the bank win one million new customers last year, reaching the milestone of four million earlier than expected. They have also contributed to raising the transaction rate on the bank’s digital platforms to over 130 million in 2022, up 73 per cent on-year, marking a 26-fold increase over five years.
|Growth in digital banking transactions, 2017-2022
Robust risk management, increasing brand reputation
According to the Board of Directors' report, VIB has the highest ratio of outstanding retail loans in the market, with 90 per cent. It also has one of the lowest proportions of corporate bonds to total outstanding loans in the industry, accounting for only 0.8 per cent.
In 2022, the State Bank of Vietnam ranked VIB among the highest in the industry based on assessments of capital adequacy, asset quality, governance capacity, profitability efficiency, liquidity management, and other financial indicators. VIB has always adhered to the indicators set by the State bank and has pioneered in applying international standards, including Basel II, Basel III and International Financial Reporting Standards.
The independent assessment and analysis report from Moody's and Credit Suisse released in early 2023 showed that VIB held a safe and strong balance sheet. The ratio of corporate bonds and loans for real estate investment to equity was among the lowest of the Top 20 Vietnamese banks.
|Selected VIB risk indicators
Approval of profit plan, dividend payment and charter capital increase
VIB's General Meeting of Shareholders allowed for the increase in charter capital to approximately VND25.4 trillion ($1 billion) in 2023, up 20.36 per cent on-year. The plan to pay 35 per cent dividends to shareholders, with a maximum of 15 per cent cash dividends and 20 per cent bonus shares, was also approved by shareholders.
According to VIB, the high dividend payout ratio has been maintained over the years, increasing shareholders' trust in the bank.
|VIB's dividend payout ratio, 2018-2022
For the next period, VIB has set sustainable growth targets, is pioneered a strong governance foundation and leads in digitalisation. The bank aims to attract 10 million customers by 2026, and archive an annual compound profit growth of 20-30 per cent each year from now until 2026, thereby sustainably increasing the market capitalisation for shareholders.
To this end, VIB’s Board of Directors will focus on the following seven directives:
|VIB's strategic directions
The AGM approved the 2023 business plan, including the growth of total assets, outstanding loans, capital mobilisation and profit. In particular, the growth rate of its credit balance can be adjusted depending on the allowable limit of the State bank.
|2023 business plan
At the meeting, shareholders voted to elect the Board of Directors and Supervisory Board for the IX term (2023-2027). With a high consensus rate, they approved five members of the Board of Directors, including one independent member and two members of the Supervisory Board.
|VIB records 32 per cent increase in 2022 profits
Vietnam International Bank (VIB) has announced its business results in 2022 with pre-tax income of over $459.75 million, up 32 per cent against the previous year. Its return on equity (ROE) performance is consistently over 30 per cent.
|VIB to announce dividend payment plans at its upcoming AGM
After six years of implementing strong and extensive strategic transformation, Vietnam International Bank (VIB) has marked important milestones in its journey to becoming the leading retail bank in Vietnam.


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BlackBerry has released another official video for their BlackBerry Priv smartphone and in the new video we get to heard more about the specifications on the device and we also get to see some of the handsets features.
The video confirms that the new Priv smartphone will come with a 5.4 inch curved display with a Quad HD resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels, it also confirms more details about the cameras.
The rear camera on the BlackBerry Priv is an 18 megapixel camera with a Schneider Kreuznach lens, the camera also comes with optical image stabilization and a dual flash, it will be capable of recording 4K Ultra HD video.
Other specifications on the new Priv include a 3410 mAh battery which will apparently give you up to 22.5 hours of usage, the handset comes with 32GB of built in storage, plus a microSD card slot.
Powering this new BlackBerry Android smartphone is an octa core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, the device will also come with 3GB of RAM. The handset will also come with the new DTEK security software from BlackBerry.
The new BlackBerry Priv will go on sale on the 6th of November, the handset will retail for $699 and you can now pre-order the device from BlackBerry.
Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals
Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.


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Holiday decorating usually brings both frustration and excitement, as average homeowners struggle to keep strings of lights untangled, even as visions of luminous grandeur dance in their heads.
Now, frustrated would-be decorators no longer have to blow a fuse. One local company takes the hassle out of Christmas decorating, making homes and businesses glow with holiday cheer while keeping residents' and business owners' spirits bright.
Mindee Grady started a Christmas Decor franchise with her Watkinsville family last year. Last year, Grady's franchise became one of 300 others across the United States and Canada. The 14-year-old company is based in Lubbock, Texas.
''We knew there was no one in Athens doing Christmas decorations per se,'' Grady explained. ''It's a niche that needed to be filled.''
With 30 employees, the company will light up any home or business within a 60-mile radius of Athens. Grady and her family run the business from the basement of their Watkinsville home.
Grady visits clients to draw up design proposals. Clients can choose from a menu of decorations from roof and window lights to lighted trees and walkways. Costs range from $200 to more than $1,000, Grady said.
The 30 Christmas Decor employees receive training in professional installation techniques, learning everything from electrical safety to design.
''We train our employees on our home,'' Grady explained.
Christmas Decor crews have been working since the beginning of October. Their handiwork can be seen all over Athens, from The Varsity on Broad Street to Zaxby's chicken restaurants to the Classic Center in downtown Athens.
Their work can also be seen in downtown Gainesville, Greensboro and Madison.
''It's fun, and it's beautiful,'' Grady said. ''The employees really enjoy seeing their work. It's something to be proud of.''
In most cases, the company provides the lights, garlands and wreaths for customers. The equipment is stored at Grady's home after crews dismantle the displays in January.
Running a business that specializes in providing Christmas joy to others can put a strain on her own family's Christmas activities, Grady said.
''It's very intense October through December. We work until 2 a.m. or 3 a.m. most nights during the week getting ready for the next day,'' she said. ''Our biggest challenge is making sure our own children don't miss out on Christmas magic.''
Grady's three children, ages 2, 6 and 8, seem to take the family business in stride, though, as Christmas ''invades'' their home every year.
''They're basically Christmas light connoisseurs,'' Grady said proudly. ''They go through neighborhoods and critique.''
Grady said the key to installing Christmas lights properly is to understand electrical limitations.
''Read the instructions. There are only so many mini-lights you can plug in without blowing your breakers,'' she said. ''If all else fails, call us, and we'll come out and do it.''
Anyone interested in receiving a free estimate for home or business installation can call Christmas Decor at (706) 769-1099.
In the future, Grady said she would like to expand the company and offer specialty lighting services in the off-season, for weddings and other events.
''There's just something magical about lights,'' Grady said.
Reporter Rhiannon Brewer can be reached at email@example.com or (706) 208-2232.
© 2017. All Rights Reserved. | Contact Us


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(Cross-posted from Off the Charts - the blog of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.)
Raising the minimum wage would help the economy, CBPP Senior Fellow Jared Bernstein writes in the latest edition of the CQ Researcher.
Two well-established facts help back up this argument, Bernstein says:
The first fact is that the American economy is made up of 70 percent consumer spending.
Economists widely agree that an extra dollar earned by a wealthy person is less likely to be spent than an extra dollar earned by a low-income person….
The second fact Read More


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Titan expects the 2019 wedding season to be stronger than 2018, which will propel its Tanishq jewellery businessits biggest revenue earner, says MD Bhaskar Bhat
Bengaluru: Watches and accessories maker Titan Co. Ltd is targeting a growth rate of over 20% in 2018-19, said managing director Bhaskar Bhat in an interview. The company also expects the 2019 wedding season to be stronger than 2018, which will help prop up the jewellery business, its biggest revenue earner.
“The jewellery business had targeted 25% growth this year. It should be in that ballpark, maybe a little less than 25%. We lost out in the first quarter. Therefore, to make up will be a problem," said Bhat. Jewellery, sold under the Tanishq brand, accounted for almost 80% of Titan’s total revenue in the July-September quarter, he added.
Next year is expected to be better in terms of wedding jewellery sales. There are many wedding dates lined up for 2019, which is expected to be a much stronger year, said the managing director.
India’s jewellery industry witnessed a soft patch in the first quarter (April-June) with gold imports declining 39%. While profits at Titan’s jewellery business still grew by 16% during the quarter, revenue growth was slower, in single digits, Bhat said. That was around the time the industry was reeling under the aftermath of the Nirav Modi-Mehul Choksi orchestrated PNB fraud, which tainted the entire sector. Everyone—from small and medium jewellers to listed chains—were severely impacted. However, the Tata Group-owned Titan stood to gain from the event as it was perceived to be a trustworthy brand by analysts and consumers alike, said Bhat.
Growth in the watches business is expected to be in the 10-12% range even as margins improve. Other businesses, from eyewear, to fragrances sold under the Skinn brand, and the Taneira handloom sarees, are growing at steady pace, he said.
“Jewellery is a ₹ 250,000 crore market. We are only 5% of it so the share we can take away is very, very large. The other businesses may be a small part of our profit pool, but they bring customers to the Titan umbrella and people want to buy from a Titan outlet. It brings to the table design, customer experience, manufacturing capability and branding. Those are all important corporate values," said Bhat.
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The Financial Times has appointed Tia McPhee as global brand director, handing her responsibility for establishing a new brand marketing framework across the organisation.
McPhee joins from entrepreneur network Tech Nation, where she was marketing director, helping to support digital entrepreneurs and promote the UK as a destination for digital innovation.
At the FT, McPhee will report to chief communications and marketing officer Finola McDonnell, who recently launched the brand’s "The new agenda" brand platform. She fills a vacancy left by Marcy Richardson, who left the FT in October 2018 and has since set up her own consultancy.
McPhee will be charged with building the platform globally and be supported by a global team based in Hong Kong, London and New York.
"The new agenda", created by The Brooklyn Brothers, kicked off in September, marking the FT’s biggest marketing push since the 2008 global recession. It launched with the strapline "Capitalism: time for a reset" and is aimed at provoking debate around the disruption of established corporate and economic models.
McDonnell said: "[McPhee] is joining the FT at a pivotal moment as we set the agenda for the next generation of business leaders. Her experience and passion for promoting factual content will be huge assets as we look to the next phase of growth for the FT."
McPhee added: "I look forward to building on the momentum behind ‘The new agenda’ and its mission to help readers make better decisions in a disrupted business world."
McPhee’s career has seen her work for sports broadcaster DAZN and for 12 years at the BBC in various marketing and strategy roles.


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Japanese automakers’ China sales increased by over 10% from a year earlier in July as the world’s biggest auto market showed some recovery amid coronavirus crisis.
Nissan Motor said on Wednesday its sales in China increased 11.6% last month from a year ago to 120,945 vehicles. China is a market that Nissan is concentrating on as the embattled automaker is having a hard time to fix problems from that emerged after the ouster of former CEO Carlos Ghosn.
Toyota Motor sold about 165,600 cars last month in China, increasing 19.1% year-on-year. Of the total, 22,300 came from its premium Lexus brand, which showed a 38.6% sales increase compared to one year earlier.
Honda Motor said on Wednesday it sold 136,646 vehicles in China in July, increasing 17.8%.


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Apple’s annual Developer’s Event “WWDC” (Worldwide Developer’s Conference ) started in San Francisco.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has announced about many new products and many new features.
Apple’s iOS 6 software will include more than 200 new features. It will be a free upgrade for iPhones released since 2009, as well as last year’s and this year’s iPad models. It will also work with newer iPod Touch devices.
Read below some highlights of iOS 6:
Apple will replace the Google Map with its own buit-in Map which includes turn-by-turn navigation.
Apple’s new Maps application will have a voice navigation feature. It will have real-time traffic data and offer alternative routes as traffic conditions change.
And, it inclues visual redesign that uses vector-based graphics instead of bitmap images. This change means that it will be easier for users to pan across a map quickly, without having to wait for new map images to load every few seconds.
iOS6 will be providing close integration with the social media networking site Facebook.
Facebook will be integrated with Apple’s online app store so that you can declare that you “like” specific apps there, as well as songs and movies in iTunes.
Events in Facebook’s calendar and birthdays of Facebook friends will also appear on your phone’s calendar.
Siri, which interprets voice commands and talks back to the user, will be enhanced further in iOS6.
Apple says it is partnering with Yelp Inc so that Siri can include ratings and prices of restaurants when you ask her about places to eat. The company is also partnering with OpenTable Inc. to make reservations. Siri will now be available in more languages and more countries. And, Siri will be Car-friendly in this year. Apple says General Motors Co, BMW AG and Daimler AG’s Mercedes are among the automakers that have promised to offer Siri integration in the next 12 months.
And, Apple releases MacBook Pro with Retina Display.


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We are happy to see a constantly growing number of venture capital companies (see the 1Q 2022, 2Q 2022, and 3Q 2022 overviews), especially ones focusing on the European market. That’s why we have prepared a quarterly overview of new VCs investing in startups across Europe - let's dive into the 4Q of 2022!
To discover more VC funds, check out our VC list - a complex database of the best early-stage venture capital funds investing in innovative startups across different verticals. Read More.
VC Funds from CEE
- Polish deep tech VC OTB Ventures closes a €150M fund. The firm will invest across B2B AI automation, space tech, fintech, cybersecurity, and climate tech throughout Europe.
- A marketplace-focused Market One Capital announces an €80M fund. The team will back pre-seed to seed stage startups, putting anywhere from €200K to €2M into each company.
- Prague-based Credo Ventures raises a €75M-large early stage fund. The VC will invest in startups from CEE.
- Polish bValue makes a first €72M close of its next fund. The team will invest in CEE companies, dedicating €5M to €15M towards each of their portfolio companies.
- Lithuanian VC Practica Capital closes a €70M fund dedicated to the Baltic startup ecosystem. The investment team will back early stage founders developing a marketplace, SaaS, and/or deep tech.
- Bratislava-based VC 0100 Ventures raises a €60M vehicle to back CEE startups. The firm will actively search for seed to series A companies in all kinds of sectors/industries.
- Ukrainian GR Capital announces the first €30M closing of its new fund. The VC will back European startups entering their early-growth and later stages throughout fintech, prop tech, mobility, health tech, and the future of work.
- An impact firm, Simpact raises its next 100M PLN fund to back early-stage startups.
- Czech venture fund DEPO Ventures raises its third angel fund. The firm will back CEE's early-stage companies across AI and blockchain applications, fintech, and marketplaces.
- Lithuanian Startup Wise Guys goes independent and kickstarts a FIRSTPICK VC to invest in the Baltic startups at the earliest stages. The team will consider startups coming from any sector or vertical.
- Deep tech VC Baltic Sandbox brings home €13M for the next fund. The team will write checks ranging from €25K to €400K for pre-seed and back seed stage companies from Baltics building deep tech or life science-related businesses.
- Czech fashion discovery platform Glami kickstarts its first VC Glami Ventures that is directly managed by the company's founder Tomáš Hodboď. The fund will back projects around circular economy, B2B e-commerce or AI SaaS companies.
- Ukrainian Catholic University spearheads the creation of Angel One Fund to scout for local academia spinouts. The VC will support pre-seed and seed stage companies throughout fintech, SaaS, edtech, AI/ML and put $50K to $200K into each opportunity.
- Female founder-focused VC The Better Fund registers the fund and kickstarts its fundraise. The team will back CEE companies within any sector or industry yet have an especial preference towards those building within wellness, environmental, edtech and emerging technology spaces.
VC Funds from Europe
- EQT Ventures unveils its €1.1Bn fund to invest in European and North American early stage startups. The main interests of the VC will be towards climate tech, food tech, creator economy, energy tech, fintech, software, data & IT infrastructure, and deep tech.
- UK-based One Peak announces its third growth fund. The VC plans to focus on European/Israeli enterprise software while investing $15M to $100M into each opportunity.
- Lightrock Climate Impact Fund starts out with a €860M scale up VC. The investment team will mainly search for innovation around the topics of energy transition, decarbonization, sustainable food/agriculture, and transportation.
- Austrian Speedinvest unveils $500M for its next European fund. The team will mainly look at opportunities across deep tech, fintech, health tech, industrial tech, marketplaces & consumer, and SaaS & infrastructure startups.
- Andera Partners closes a new €456M-big life sciences fund. The company will search for innovative therapeutics and med tech innovation throughout Europe and North America.
- 83North announces its next $400M fund to invest across Europe, Israel, and the US.
- Index Ventures announces its $300M fund to invest across sectors and industries. The firm will have an especial preference towards US and European seed stage companies, but is open to considering other regions as well.
- One of the largest global providers of building materials, CRH established a $250M-big venturing unit, CRH Ventures. The investment team will mainly look out for construction and climate technology opportunities.
- Swedish producer of commercial vehicles Scania announces a close of SEK 2Bn-large Scania Growth Capital fund. The firm will invest in startups having strategic relevance to Scania, mainly within areas such as: digitalization, autonomy, connectivity, hybridization, sustainable energy and smart factory.
- German Vsquared Ventures raises its new, €165M early-stage fund. The firm will focus on backing European startups in areas such as AI & robotics, new computing & sensing, new space, energy transition, next-gen data processing but will generally consider any deep tech startup.
- Cavalry Ventures unveils a new, €160M investment vehicle to back European early-stage companies. The company's team will be mainly interested in seed and pre-seed consumer and enterprise verticals, wiring anywhere from €500K to €2M into each startup.
- Nordic firm Inventure raises its next €150M fund to back pre-seed to Series B companies from Baltics/Scandinavia. When selecting opportunities, Inventure will pay an especial interest towards enterprise SaaS, fintech, deep tech, marketplaces and consumer tech companies while investing €200K to €5M into each of the opportunities they pursue.
- Paris-based Otium Capital closes up, a €150M evergreen VC fund to back seed to series A European companies.
- Pan-European venture fund Peak takes €150M for its 5th fund to invest in the region's early-stage startups building SaaS, marketplace, and platforms.
- French IRIS wraps up the first close of its €150M fund to focus on seed to series A startups, mainly from France and Germany, but other parts of Europe as well.
- Irish fintech VC Middle Game achieves the first closing of its €150M fund. The team will back post-seed to series B companies across North America and Europe.
- Tech infrastructure and cybersecurity investor 33N Ventures debuts with a €150M fund to series A-B companies throughout Europe/Israel and the US.
- London-based LeadBlock Partners hits the first close of its $150M fund to back early-stage blockchain/digital assets startups.
- Dutch Newion announces a €130M fund to invest in European early-stage startups, mainly related to the enterprise software space.
- French VC Partech unveils a €120M-large pre-seed to seed fund mainly dedicated to Europe but open to considering US and Southeast Asian companies.
- European AI-focused Alpha Intelligence Capital claims a $100M closing of its $300M fund to support global companies entering their series A-B.
- Non-dilutive venture fund Round2 Capital raises its second, €100M fund to serve growth-stage software businesses.
- Swiss fintech VC TX Ventures debuts its first CHF100M fund to back European startups. The firm will put 0.5M to 5M francs in each opportunity and give especial preference towards DACH-based companies.
- Danish VC People Ventures unveils a €100M fund to invest in Nordic early-stage startups. When choosing opportunities, the team will have a “soft focus” on Digital Health and B2B software.
- SquareOne (previously known as Paua Ventures) kicks off a new €100M early-stage fund. The firm will invest in European startups building B2B Enterprise Software/SaaS, with a particular interest in areas like climate tech, open source, and supply chain/procurement.
- A Shift4Good VC debuts with the first, €100M closing of its €300M fund focused on European and South-East Asian startups. The firm will back Series A and B startups across smart mobility & circular economy segments coming from all over the globe.
- A consumer-focused V3 Ventures launches a €100M fund to invest in UK/Europe, the US, and India. The firm will consider pre-seed to Series A companies spanning e-commerce, health and beauty, as well as those within the food & beverage industry.
- Teleclinic founder debuts a €100M digital health VC YZR. The firm will back early-stage European startups building digital medical devices, virtual health services, and back-end software.
- Berlin-based, Construction-focused VC Foundamenetal closes its second, $85M-lare fund. The firm plans to back startups all over the globe.
- The PureTerra Ventures debuts a €60M fund. They will focus on European innovation seeking to increase water availability and/or quality.
- British health service provider SimplyHealth unveils its new, £60M-big venture arm, SimplyHealth Ventures. The fund aims to back early-stage med tech and health tech startups serving the UK's market.
- London-based JensonFunding Partners launches a £60M vehicle to back sustainability-focused early-stage ventures in the UK.
- UK social innovation agency, Nesta 50M pounds, announces the creation of its investment arm - Nesta Impact Investments. The firm will support early-stage startups across Europe that are delivering positive social and environmental impact.
- A Germany, former Innogy Ventures team debuts a €50M VC, Vireo Ventures. The firm will back European startups at the intersection of electrification and climate.
- Redstone and EnjoyVenture team up in launching a €50M-big Human Impact Capital. The firm will focus on early-stage startups addressing society’s biggest challenges across Europe, typically investing between €500K and €1.5M into each opportunity.
Additionally, Redstone and Kauri CAB Group launched €50M Tane Fund to help entrepreneurs create a more sustainable future for the built environment. Initial ticket sizes range from €300K to €3M.
- Zurich-based EquityPitcher VC raises €45M in various sectors and industries throughout DACH.
- UK-based VC Ada Ventures hits the first close of a £36M fund to support the country's early-stage startups. When searching for opportunities, the firm has an especial interest towards climate, healthcare and ageing, and economic empowerment topics.
- German IBB Ventures raises a €30M fund to invest in Berlin-based startups tackling one of UN's SDGs.
- A new climate-tech VC in Portugal, Satgana debuts a first, €30M fund. The firm will back European and African startups entering pre-seed or seed stages across food / agri tech, energy, mobility, industry and buildings, carbon removal, and the circular economy. The fund will offer tickets of up to €500K in size.
- French VC Sista announces its first €30M closing of a €100M fund. The firm will focus on fintech, health tech, SaaS, and consumer globally but with a special focus towards French ecosystem.
- Swiss family office Infinitas Capital kickstarts a $30M VC Prediction Capital to make consumer and fintech investments across DACH countries.
- Zurich-based BackBone Ventures announces the first closing of its CHF20M fund. The firm will back founders of underrepresented background throughout Germany and Switzerland.
- Atomico's angel investor Stefano Bernardi raises his own debut fund, Unruly Capital. The fund will back early-stage companies across the globe and will invest around €250K in each of its portfolio companies.
- Female-led UK VC Pact announces closing of its £30M to invest in seed-stage startups. The firm will back companies building solutions around economic inclusion, personal and professional well-being, and climate solutions, putting £1M to £1.5M into each opportunity.
- Female founder-focused VC Fund F closes a €20M to invest in pre-seed and seed-stage startups. The firm will consider companies working on climate tech, health tech, fem tech, fintech and HR tech solutions.
- Swiss Privilège Ventures announces a 20M CHF venture fund to back women-led European startups across sectors and industries, with an especial interest towards med tech, deep tech, and the digital economy.
- Notorious business angel Robin Haak kickstarts a solo GP fund, Robin Capital to invest in European angel-series A startups.
- Finnish student-focused VC Wave Ventures launches its second €2M investment vehicle to back Nordic student-entrepreneurs.
Global VC Funds
- American PE firm Carlyle Group raises a $3.12Bn fund to support lower to mid-market companies and growth-stage European enterprise tech. The team will search for €100M to €500M deals and make investments of up to €250M in size.
- The VC of a consulting giant Bain & Company, Bain Capital Tech Opportunities locks up a $2Bn for its next investment vehicle. They will focus on tech innovation throughout Europe.
- Schneider Electric announces the close of its $500M CVC - SE Ventures. The fund will invest in companies innovating across climate tech, industrial AI, mobility, prop tech and cybersecurity sector throughout the world.
- American Next Play Capital bags $200M for its next fund. The vehicle will act as both fund-of-funds for VCs and venture investor for VC-backed companies in various sectors and geographies.
- A crypto company, BlockTower VC debuts with a $150M-big fund. The investment team will back all over the web3 and crypto spaces, writing $500K to $6M checks into each company.
- The HubSpot's CEO Brian Halligan unveils a $100M, ocean-focused climate VC company, Propeller.
New VC Funds Investing In Europe - 3Q 2022 (by Ilya Mikhalchyk-Kananenka, Community Builder, Vestbee)
New VC Funds Investing In Europe - 2Q 2022 (by Valerie Stupnikova, Vestbee)
New VC Funds Investing In Europe - 1Q 2022 (by Ilya Mikhalchyk-Kananenka, Community Builder, Vestbee)


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There may be no apparent connection between the wheeler-dealers of the City, clinging to their jobs through the white-knuckle ride of the credit crunch, and the legs of the ladies of Hertfordshire; but the momentous events of the past 12 months have shown that the credit crunch works in mysterious ways.
Jo Banks, who owns the Heart Hair and Beauty Salon in the county town of Hertford, says her customers are saving money in these troubled financial times by postponing having their legs waxed. 'Clients are still coming in, but they really are holding out until it's absolutely essential,' she says. When clients do come in, she says, the credit crunch is now the main topic of conversation.
The women of Hertford are far from alone. All over the country, Britain's consumers and businesses are making millions of tiny money-saving decisions like this. Small firms are postponing investment plans and laying off staff; families are phoning for a takeaway instead of going to a restaurant; would-be house-hunters have put the search for their dream home on hold.
The credit crunch began with banks in the United States that had lent too much, too fast, offloading the mortgages of some of the poorest families in America on to willing buyers in the financial markets, an act that was keenly copied by Britain's profit-hungry lenders. It will end, most experts now agree, in a deep recession, as those millions of tiny decisions merge together as a powerful force, bearing down on the economy.
Hank Paulson, Washington's swashbuckling Treasury Secretary, has won the approval of lawmakers for his $700bn plan to spend public money propping up the banks, but it was too late to prevent the crisis spilling far outside US borders. Bradford and Bingley was just one of four European financial institutions that had to be bailed out by their governments in the past week alone. Ireland hurriedly guaranteed all savers' and firms' deposits in a desperate attempt to forestall a run on weak institutions. Greece has taken similar emergency action. Iceland is wrestling with a full-blown financial crisis.
Plans for more radical measures may need to be formulated in the days and weeks ahead, but even when the immediate drama of the banks' battle for survival is long forgotten, its impact will still be being felt by people who have never met a City banker or a 'hedgie' and have no idea what a derivatives trader does.
Some of the knock-on effects of the turmoil in the City are easy to trace: the smart restaurants in the Square Mile with empty tables at lunchtime; the echoing estate agents' branches in Knightsbridge and Mayfair; and the Ferrari dealers twiddling their thumbs.
'Let's just focus on the City, and the job losses there,' says Russell Jones, chief strategist at RBC Capital Markets. 'That is going to affect people via lower house prices, and via the things that City types throw their money at: luxury goods sellers will get hurt, restaurants will get hurt.'
In the past fortnight alone, HSBC has announced that it is making 500 of its London-based staff redundant, and beleaguered Swiss bank UBS has laid off 450 people. They joined thousands of staff from Lehman Brothers, whose tearful departure from their Canary Wharf headquarters, clutching cardboard boxes of belongings, was splashed across the front pages when the Wall Street giant went bust last month.
But hundreds of miles beyond the champagne bars of the metropolis, the credit crunch is insinuating itself, slowly, quietly, like a sinister virus into the ordinary lives of millions of people.
The cheap credit that has been the life-blood of the economy for the past decade is relentlessly draining away - and with it, the shop-till-you-drop joie de vivre that has characterised Britain since the turn of the millennium.
House prices are sliding faster than they did in the early-Nineties property crash, eating away at the value of what many homeowners believed was a rock-solid investment. Consumers are waking up to the vertigo-inducing reality that the sense of wealth and security that has kept them flocking to the shops, was, at least in part, illusory.
Over the past decade, consumers in Britain have accumulated debts, including their mortgages, worth on average 180 per cent of their disposable income, the highest proportion of any country in the G7 club of rich nations. It adds up to a mountainous £1.44 trillion of personal debt - and economic experts have been warning for several years that it would end in tears.
Ever since the credit crisis struck Britain's banks a year ago, they have been pushing up the cost of loans, especially for riskier borrowers, such as those who want to borrow a large multiple of their salary, or a have a poor credit record.
The rapid drainage of credit out of the economy has intensified as one bank after another has collapsed or been rescued. The Halifax - whose owner ,HBOS, was swallowed up by Lloyds TSB in a government-brokered rescue three weeks ago - announced this weekend that it is withdrawing many of its mortgage deals from the market and ratcheting up the interest rates on others. The cost of other loans, from credit cards to the car deals on showroom forecourts, is rising, too. The days of cheap credit are over. At the same time, falling property prices are making homeowners feel poorer.
This is a pivotal moment that marks a sea change in our behaviour, even in our culture. 'We're very used to borrowing money to finance a great deal of the things we do,' says Jones. 'I think people will be rather chastened by this. I think there's going to be a structural break in people's spending and borrowing. People who have been burnt by this will be less willing to push the boat out.'
Jamie Dannhauser, UK economist at Lombard Street Research, agrees that it will be a long time before Brits pick up the shopping habit again. 'It would be unwise to view the recent difficulties as anything other than the beginning of one to two years of feeble household spending,' he says.
Rising mortgage costs mean that an increasing number of families are struggling with their repayments. Thousands of others are being forced to wonder, for the first time, after a decade of extraordinary apparent prosperity, what they would do if they lost their job.
Sue Edwards, director of consumer policy at the Citizens Advice, which counsels people with financial problems, is not surprised. 'We have been warning of a personal debt crisis for 10 years,' she says. 'We're now seeing an increase in mortgage arrears and people who have problems paying their bills, especially council tax, fuel, water and phone bills. People are coming to us because they've borrowed a lot. They've been just about managing their repayments, then a small thing tips them over the edge.'
She says that banks are largely to blame, for tempting even the poorest in society into taking out impossibly large loans. 'A lot of our clients are on low incomes, and the high-street banks and credit-card companies have just been throwing money at them.'
There is already growing evidence that shoppers are rethinking their priorities because of their precarious personal finances. Major high-street retailers, such as Marks & Spencer and John Lewis, have reported steep declines in sales as reality bites. Sir Stuart Rose, executive chairman of M&S, says the uncertain economic outlook is weighing on customers' minds: 'They are worried about inflation, interest rates, the equity value of their house - indeed, the safety of the pound in the bank, that's where some confidence needs to come back.'
Rose says customers were trading down - a factor that had affected its food business, where sales have slumped. He argues that M&S food still sits at the 'top of the quality tree', but it has had to slash prices to hold on to customers.
Tesco chief executive Sir Terry Leahy reports the same phenomenon. Sales of its Finest food range as well as organic products have declined in the past six months as customers trade down.
Leahy says that customers no longer want buy-one-get-one-free promotions: 'People want to buy something at a price. We've brought the price of organics down to give it a lift - people want to buy organic through this period, but don't feel they can afford it.'
Food discounters such as Aldi and Lidl have been gaining ground on the big four supermarkets, reporting a jump in sales as customers seek out bargains. To win back customers, Tesco has recast itself as 'Britain's biggest discounter', introducing hundreds of products into its UK stores that were originally developed for sale in its eastern European outlets. Tesco also says sales of non-food ranges such as its clothing labels Cherokee and Florence & Fred have slowed. Customers are now thinking twice about just throwing a cashmere cardigan or a CD into their trolley.
A clutch of shops has already got into difficulties or gone into bankruptcy protection. Those most affected include retailers linked to the troubled housing market, such as curtain seller Rosebys and MFI, and those riding the shopaholic fashion craze, like Miss Sixty. Hundreds of brides were left tearful and present-less as wedding gift specialist Wrapit folded. Even the Queen's dressmaker, Hardy Amies, is teetering on the brink of collapse, and Prince Philip, perhaps conscious of the new austerity, had a pair of 51-year-old trousers restyled in Savile Row.
Travel companies were vainly hoping to defy the crunch earlier in the year, banking that the annual fortnight in the sun would prove sacrosanct, whatever the forced economies households made elsewhere. But the collapse of XL, Britain's third-largest package holiday company, leaving thousands stranded abroad, gave the lie to that, and the summer of 2009 is likely to see even more of us shivering on the beach at Sandbanks or Skegness.
Television programmes such as Property Ladder and Location, Location, Location now feel like faintly tasteless relics from a bygone era of easy money, amateur landlords and the quick flip. Falling house prices have torpedoed the peculiarly British dream of making millions from bricks and mortar, and also blown a hole in hundreds of businesses.
The number of houses being bought and sold has collapsed: would-be buyers and sellers are simply paralysed by fear and are only moving if they absolutely have to. The days of making quick profits seem light years away; now people are petrified of negative equity or buying before the market hits bottom. Potential first-timers - even if they can get a mortgage - are sitting it out in the belief they will get much lower prices in a year or two's time. Early last year, more than 100,000 new loans a month were approved for homebuyers; by August this year, that had slipped to just 32,000.
The buy-to-let phenomenon, which exploded over the past few years as people saw rental income as an alternative to pensions (or even to working), is utterly discredited. It has brought down one bank, Bradford and Bingley, and landlords are struggling to get new mortgage finance when their existing cheap deals expire. Only those who got in on the craze early, and who have built a prudent portfolio, will escape without serious losses.
In this straitened environment, estate agents are having to make 'very tough decisions,' according to Miles Shipside, commercial director of property website Rightmove. He means they will be sacking staff soon - if they are not already doing so. Shipside adds that the bosses of many estate agents are now back on the shop floor, personally escorting rare punters around the few homes that are available instead of lurking grandly at the back of the office and letting their employees bring in the commission.
'The proprietors are often the ones who have worked through the last downturn. They can spot the debt-, divorce- and death-motivated sellers,' he says. These 'three Ds' are the only reasons anyone is moving house in the current anxious climate, he says. Foxtons, the slick agency that symbolised the frenzy of the boom years in the capital, arranging mass viewings of newly available properties on Sunday afternoons, is now in negotiations with its banks over the repayments on a huge loan.
Martin Rose, a spokesman for the National Guild of Removers and Storers, says the number of house removals taking place has dropped by about 65 per cent since last year. 'The first three months of the year are the quietest for removers but after Easter, as the days get warmer, it traditionally starts to pick up,' he says. 'This year it didn't. Business just dropped off a cliff.'
Some firms have had to close as a result; many have made staff redundant. So desperate are his members to coax people to hire a remover that they are offering free ferry tickets to France or Spain for every customer.
Our misguided reliance on shopping and housing to shore up our national prosperity has been brought to a forcible end. But what of that Cinderella sector, manufacturing? Industry bore up well to start with, and in the longer run there are hopes that the crunch might see a renewed respect for making things. But in the short term, it is suffering badly, too. Ford last week became the latest car-maker to announce cutbacks in output. Workers at the Southampton plant, where it makes Transit vans, have been told they must now work a four-day week.
At first manufacturers seemed to be coping; they were aided by a fall in the value of the pound, which makes British exports cheaper. But Steve Radley, chief economist at manufacturing group EEF, says that a growing number are reporting problems. 'The pain is particularly concentrated in industries that are close to the consumer: motor vehicles, electronics. But as the economy really slows, it's affecting companies further down the supply-chain,' he says. 'We are seeing more companies looking to trim their investment plans, and their workforce.'
There is no hiding place. No corner or crevice of the UK economy will emerge without scars from this crunch. Unemployment across Britain is rising sharply: the schadenfreude at City bankers clearing their desks will soon be tempered by the realisation that they will soon be joined by a growing queue of others, from every region and every industry.
In August, the number of people claiming unemployment benefit rose by 32,500, the fastest increase since the last recession in 1992. David Blanchflower, an independent expert on the Bank of England's monetary policy committee, has predicted that more than two million people will be out of work by Christmas, on the government's favoured measure, almost 300,000 more than today.
Unemployment is what economists call a 'lagging indicator' - it trails months behind faster-moving danger signals, such as plunging stock markets and house prices; so it may be mid-2009 at the earliest before we see the full impact of current events on the jobless queue.
'It's going to spread to all sectors,' says John Philpott, chief economist at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. 'Some will have to fundamentally restructure, like finance and perhaps construction; but in others there will be a general downturn.'
In the space of days, the bank failures have had a profound impact on the national psyche. The collapse of Northern Rock last year seemed at the time as if it could be attributed as much to the recklessness and naivete of its own provincial management as to a wider and deeper malaise. It feels very different now that even bigger, and better-run, institutions such as the venerable Halifax have joined it in the banking sin-bin. As late as a few weeks ago, many people remained blithely confident, particularly away from the febrile Square Mile.
Why not? The norm for the past 10 years was for high and secure employment, low interest rates and stable inflation. People were content to run down their savings and run up their credit cards because they were confident they would still have a job tomorrow and the day after that. Pensions, despite the wholesale closure of many employers' schemes, were for many a distant concern. Even after Northern Rock, many were in denial, unaware or unwilling to accept the credit crunch was about to arrive on their own doorstep.
Only hours before the demise of
Bradford and Bingley, and even as the government was trying behind closed doors to patch up a rescue deal for the stricken bank, shoppers flocked into the grand new Cabot Circus mall in Bristol. The centre, whose flagship store is a branch of Harvey Nichols - home of the expensive designer handbags that in the boom years were on the elbows of modestly paid secretaries as well as models and bankers' wives - is a temple to consumption, with a million square feet of space, 145 shops and 25 restaurants. Its opening celebrations culminated in the performance of a specially written cantata dedicated to the centre and written by its composer in residence.
It is the kind of pomp associated with Renaissance princes, devoted to what is, in the end, just a very grand market. The entire south west hopes the venture succeeds, since it is creating 4,000 full-time jobs and is a crucial part of the regeneration of Bristol's centre. But it was hard to avoid the symbolism of this retail Mecca opening as the financial crisis entered a new and more dangerous phase.
On Thursday, the Bank of England is widely expected to acknowledge the scale of the threat, by cutting interest rates, perhaps by an unusually large half a percentage point. As the crisis has deepened, the Old Lady has reached for one weapon after another, in a desperate attempt to ease what governor Mervyn King has called, 'these extraordinary market conditions'.
King was initially reluctant to come to the aid of credit-crunched banks, which he blames for sowing the seeds of their own demise. But as one domino after another has fallen - Northern Rock, HBOS, Bradford and Bingley - financial services firms have lost confidence in one another, preferring to draw on funds from Threadneedle Street instead. In response, the Bank has repeatedly extended the amount of cash it will lend to them, and the collateral it accepts in exchange - so far to little avail. The cost of borrowing - from one bank to another, and from all the banks to consumers - has continued to rise.
There were hopes that US Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson's $700bn emergency bail-out would help to restore some sense of normality on both sides of the Atlantic; but share prices on Wall Street actually fell after the deal was done on Friday night, as investors fretted that it has come too late to halt a damaging recession.
Some US banks have suggested they may refuse to join the scheme, which will use taxpayers' money to buy up 'toxic' mortgage assets, because of the extra constraints placed on it by Congress during a frantic week of negotiations after the bill was rejected last Monday.
Even if the bail-out does draw a line under the worst woes of Wall Street, few analysts believe it will bring to a close what King has called 'the great unwinding'. Shocked banks will take years to nurse themselves back to health by trimming lending to fit their newly diminished stocks of assets. Households, too, will have to carry out their own nip and tuck, to put their finances straight. And meanwhile, King and Alistair Darling will have to be on standby to rescue the next casualty. The Treasury has already drawn up a series of radical contingency plans, including the government taking stakes in the major banks, to safeguard them against collapse.
Many experts believe Britain is already in the early stages of a recession. Growth ground to a halt in the spring, according to the government's official measure, and a torrent of anecdotal evidence suggests things have rapidly been getting worse ever since. 'There are differences, but it looks to me like this recession will be on a par with the late-Eighties/early-Nineties,' says RBC Capital Markets' Russell Jones. 'It's going to be serious.'
House prices usually continue to fall for many months after they peak: in the US, where the boom was not as big as in the UK, they have already been declining for two years; and during the last property crash in the early Nineties, it was more than four years before house prices really began to recover. Even the Nationwide, which has been trying to put a brave face on the downturn, predicts a 25 per cent fall in prices from peak to trough.
A recession would mark the close of a golden economic period. Since the Eighties, Britain has clambered up from its sick-bed, leaving the days of sterling crises and industrial sclerosis far behind.
Once-forlorn city centres in former industrial centres such as Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle have been confidently regenerated, their job markets repaired and their skylines transformed; urban wastelands have been turned into funky metropolitan hubs. The tide of rising property prices has swept hundreds of miles beyond the hotspots of London and the south east, as second homeowners have snapped up cottages from Cornwall to the Highlands of Scotland, and landlords bought sleek city-centre warehouses to rent to trendy professional tenants. And with sterling riding high against other currencies, Brits abroad made the most of their spending power, flashing their credit cards from Tiffany's in New York to Prada in Milan.
Between 2003 and 2007, national income per head - a good measure of economic strength - grew faster in Britain than in any other member of the G7: a proud performance for an economy once written off as a laggard. But we are being starved of the once-plentiful cheap credit that fed our appetite for shopping and property speculation. Our addiction to the high life will be followed by severe withdrawal symptoms. The culture of instant gratification will give way to a long period of painstakingly rebuilding our household finances. Our spendthrift swagger has gone - and it will be a very, very long time before we get it back.


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Richard Donaldson's Latest Articles
From Software’s Dark Souls III, is coming in March 24 in Japan, and we now have an international release date thanks to today’s new gameplay trailers from PSX – April 12.
Hot off the success of their recent episodic adventure game Life Is Strange, Dontnod Entertainment has revealed their next game – the early-20th-century set action RPG titled Vampyr.
Premiering last night on Jimmy Kimmel Live, the first trailer for Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War sets the stage for the fight of the century …
Coming in almost under everyone’s radar, Sony has confirmed that the PlayStation 4 can now emulate PlayStation 2 games, starting with a Star Wars collection alongside Star Wars: Battlefront.
A few quibbles with mechanics and bugs can not drown out Bethesda’s triumphant return to the end of the world after the last 7 years – their best game ever, and a serious challenger for best game of 2015.
The first trailer for director Duncan Jones’ film adaptation of Blizzard’s Warcraft series has come – and it looks exactly as bizarre as a Warcraft …


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In Plymouth, home delivery of pot moves closer to reality
PLYMOUTH – In the near future, when the doorbell rings, it just might be the deliveryman with an order of pot.
The town is a step closer to home delivery of marijuana following a unanimous vote by the Select Board to renegotiate the host community agreement with Alfred’s Finest.
The marijuana grower and retailer, which is preparing to open a store in the Plymouth Industrial Park, wanted to amend its agreement with the town to include deliveries of products to residents. Company founder and President Bob Andrews of Plympton said the revision would allow Alfred’s Finest to be more competitive and improve cash flow when it begins operations.
"This is a long-term strategy for us," he told the board at Tuesday's meeting. "We’re already approved for retail and manufacturing, but home delivery will help us get established. It’s easier and a good way to get a revenue stream started."
Andrews said his company will follow protocols established by the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission, including having video cameras in delivery vehicles while employees wear body cams.
"There will be two cameras in the van and each employee will have a camera on them," he said. "We will have two employees in the van. One will stay with the van at all times."
The board agreed in principle with the request and authorized Town Hall staff to negotiate with Alfred’s Finest on the new agreement.
Reach Dave Kindy at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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The T-Mobile merger with MetroPCS will continue as planned after MetroPCS shareholders approval for the deal.
MetroPCS shareholders approved the merge following a new offer from T-Mobile USA parent company Deutsche Telekom, which sweetened the deal for the smaller carriers. Reuters reports those shareholder who previously opposed the acquisition accepted the new deal.
T-Mobile and MetroPCS previously received approval from all necessary government agencies, so now the companies just need to file the necessary paperwork.
The upcoming merger will help T-Mobile expand its 4G LTE network, which it just recently launched. The carrier’s faster network is currently available in just seven cities across the U.S., though it plans to bring the network to 200 million Americans by the end of 2013.
The MetroPCS merger won’t help bring the network to more people this year, but over time, MetroPCS’ 4G LTE network will merge with T-Mobile’s new network. The result will be a faster, more reliable network for those currently covered by both networks. It will also help expand T-Mobile’s network into new markets.
Current T-Mobile and MetroPCS users won’t see any benefits from the merger right away. Both carriers will continue to operate as they do now. Future phones from the two companies may work on both networks as the transition to one network draws near.
The T-Mobile and MetroPCS merger is just the first acquisition among the major carriers this year. Sprint is also in the process of acquiring Clearwire while selling itself to Softbank. There is a chance that Dish will end up buying Sprint, however, as it recently made a bid for the third-place carrier.
Through their mergers, T-Mobile and Sprint should emerge as healthier companies that can provide more competition to AT&T and Verizon, the top two carriers in the U.S. That competition can only mean good things for the U.S. mobile industry and cellphone users.
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Thanks to a leak by XDA Developers, yet another set of clues regarding Huawei’s upcoming flagship have appear online after a recent leak state that the phone might carry three cameras on its back. This time around, they revealed that the Huawei P11 may feature a true edge-to-edge display, complete with a notch for sensors and the selfie camera.
According to XDA, the reference to the notch was found in a beta firmware that lists down several new features and attributes that were never in place in previous models. For one, it references an overlay for the system to take count on while rendering items on screen. The overlay is a system-level instruction, thus Huawei may be in the first stages of testing how a notch will look on a new version of EMUI.
The screen is also set to feature curved corners which is rather interesting since Huawei’s current crop of smartphones do not feature curved corners, only edges. The screen will also be a Full HD+ (1080p) instead of anything higher according to early specifications listed on the firmware itself.
As these are still early unsubstantiated news, do take it with a grain of salt. We may see the new model during the annual Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018, so stay tuned for more updates on Huawei’s flagship in the near future.
(Source: XDA Developers)